USU undergoes voluntary emissions testing for vehicles
Utah State University is trying to both prevent pollution contribution from university vehicles by testing for bad emissions.
Recent high levels of pollution in Cache Valley have become a great concern to Utah State University.
John Pappas, the director of fleet operations at USU, said after checking with the Bear River Health Department, vehicles were deemed responsible for 80 percent of the pollution in Cache Valley.
President Kermit L. Hall was extremely concerned when the air quality became negative and knew car emissions contributed to that, Pappas said.
“USU wanted to lead Cache Valley in achieving better air quality. We decided to begin testing although it has not yet been mandated by the EPA,” Pappas said.
After extensive research, Motor Pool purchased an ERP four-gas analyzer and started emissions testing on Feb. 19. Tests were done at no cost to the departments, Pappas said.
The four-gas analyzer works by checking the gas cap for pressure and vacuum, and running the test by measuring the gasses in the tailpipe, Pappas said. The four gasses the equipment measures are carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, and oxygen.
The two gasses regulated by the EPA in Weber, Davis, Salt Lake and Utah counties are carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. Pappas said USU’s standards are set at the same level as those four counties.
“The vehicle will either pass or fail, and the readout will be printed with the amounts of different emissions tested,” Pappas said.
Fleet Operations has checked more than 100 vehicles and 8 percent of those didn’t meet the EPA emissions standards. Those
vehicles will be either repaired and tested again, or retired.
Terrel Murray, a 17-year employee at Motor Pool said, “I feel there are some vehicles out there people have neglected and they need to be aware of it.”
People with older cars are less likely to want to put money into them, Pappas said. Most of the cars that don’t pass their tests are from the 1980’s and earlier.
Mike Nield, the department head at Bridgerland Technology said typically a car producing excess emissions is burning too much gas. Properly operating cars get better gas mileage, which has become important with rising gas prices, Nield said.
Murray said keeping a car’s oil changed and general car maintenance will usually prevent pollution.
The EPA will most likely require Cache County within the next few years, and USU will just be prepared with necessary equipment and skills to test vehicles, Pappas said.
If the mandate occurs, residents may have to pay around $25 for a yearly test and will have to pay for repairs to prevent the bad emissions, which Nield said can sometimes cost more than the car is worth. The local businesses that do car inspections will also have to pay for equipment to do the testing, which will be very expensive, Pappas said.
“Diagnostically, cars that don’t pass are usually quite technically demanding,” Nield said.
Nield has been teaching an automotive class with emissions testing as a new part of the curriculum. Motor Pool has been helping Nield’s classes by providing vehicles for testing.
Right now, USU Motor Pool is not doing any private vehicle testing because the EPA’s mandate is not in place, but Pappas said April is National Car Care Month and Motor Pool shops will be publicly opened as a part of that. Pappas said the emissions testing that day at Motor Pool will be at no cost to anyone and they may be offered all day.
“USU will also be ahead of schedule when (and if) Cache County is mandated to do emissions testing,” Pappas said.
-amysueh@cc.usu.edu